Partnerships In the Arts
Muslims for Progressive Values has a long history of collaborating with theater, music, and performing arts groups regardless of their faith or non-faith affiliation. Below are some of the highlights of our features throughout the years and our partnerships with organizations across the greater Los Angeles area.
Gay Men’s chorus of los angeles - "I Rise", 2017 performance
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles is a community organization based in Los Angeles that seeks to create musical experiences within the local LGBTQIA community. In 2017, singers in the MPV community participated in their annual summer concert titled “"I Rise", Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles Sings of Faith & Spirituality at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA). We sang in the full concert performance and in opening Act II, MPV’s president Ani Zonneveld was invited to do the Islamic call for prayer.
Peace Salam Shalom Kol Nidre 2013
Every year the secular Jewish community Sholem in Los Angeles celebrates Kol Nidre, the evening of Yom Kippur, with a two-hour performance of spoken words, readings, choral singing and music focused on Yiddish Jewish cultural traditions. For over eight years, and as part of the festivities, MPV’s founder Ani Zonneveld has sang as a guest lead singer for a song “Peace Salam Shalom” to celebrate Yom Kippur by coming together through song and peace.
Ishmael isaac program
Temple Beth Hillel has been a long time partner of Muslims for Progressive Values and together we created the Ishmael Isaac Program. Our joint interfaith programming includes study groups, joint religious celebrations, serving the homeless on Thanksgiving. In this unique Shabaat Friday service, MPV’s community came together to sing with the Temple’s choir, we did the call to prayer to start the program, a zikir in English, and in this video MPV’s president Ani Zonneveld performed “Song for Allah”, a song about the evidence of God in the environment, music composed by Ani and lyrics by a 7th century female saint Rabi’a al Basri. This event was at Temple Beth Hillel on February 7, 2014.
The Interfaith March
In 2015, Ani Zonneveld performed “In My Soul” at an interfaith march in Los Angeles, an annual event that brings together faith-based organizations from across LA to affirm freedom, diversity, and respect among nations, ethnicities, and religions and learn to live in peace together. This performance was at the Islamic Center of Southern California, and like all mosques, it is only at interfaith events such as this that a menstruating Muslim woman is allowed to sing. You can listen to the full song on the “Music” page.
Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
Muslims for Progressive Values partnered with other faith-based organizations to hold the Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Studio City, California in 2013.